Banana co-ops most successful land reform beneficiaries

DAVAO CITY — Banana farming cooperatives are among the most successful beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in this region, said Yusoph B. Mama, regional director of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Citing the findings of a department study, Mama said that for every hectare, these farms earn up to P240,000 annually, higher than farms planted with rice or other cash crops. "Our cooperatives in the banana plantations are very successful. There is great improvement in their [standard of living]," Mama claimed. He noted that, on the average, income of CARP beneficiaries in the region ranges from P90,000 to P120,000, or half of the amount earned by banana farmers. Before the program was implemented, most of these farmers were earning between P40,000-P60,000 annually, he said. Many CARP beneficiary cooperatives into banana farming are in Davao del Norte, accounting for about 20 percent of 59,000 hectares distributed to farmers. Most beneficiaries here got from two to three hectares of land. Agrarian Reform officials here said the high income is why cooperatives in banana farms are among those protesting moves to stop aerial spraying of agrochemicals, saying this will drastically affect their livelihood. Most of these cooperatives are linked with major trading companies. Victor C. Cartagenas, chairman of a banana farm cooperative in Madaum, Tagum City, said the government should look into the plight of farmers involved. "The government should not be one-sided. It should also listen to us who know everything about aerial spraying," said Cartagenas, one of those who joined the mass action during the congressional hearing on the issue last month. Earlier, the Department of Health recommended to the Department of Agriculture to suspend aerial spraying done by major banana trading companies until a study would show that such farm practice is not harmful to humans. Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap has yet to act on the recommendation. But banana firms claimed that since the industry started 40 years ago, there has been no report that people near plantations or those working in them were afflicted with diseases or any injury that could be traced to exposure to aerial spraying. Banana farming cooperatives and the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association have joined the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines in pressing the government to allow the farm practice to continue. — Carmelito Q. Francisco, BusinessWorld